SPORTS EXTRA / FOOTBALL ‘99: COLLEGE PREVIEW : BIG TEN : NITTANY LIONS: LOADED : Paterno Is Unusually Excited About Best Team Since Unbeaten ’94 Squad

It is tantamount to a confession when Joe Paterno, never one to give away the store, steps up to the microphones and admits of his defense:

“We should be good.”

Those who understand that Paterno passes out in-house compliments about as often as he dances on tables, could read this to mean:

“National Championship!”

Now, now.

“An old coach once said to a kid, ‘Your potential is going to cost me my job,”’ Paterno said. “We need more than potential.”

Paterno’s job is safe. He begins his 50th season at Penn State, 34th as head coach, with what many consider his last, best chance to win a national title.

This is certainly Paterno’s finest team since the 1994 Rose Bowl squad that went unbeaten and deserved a share of the title.

It is going to be tough for Paterno to temper the excitement in the wake of last weekend’s 41-7 thrashing of Arizona in the Pigskin Classic.

Paterno may have sold his defense short. The unit was sensational against Arizona, allowing a late touchdown to an offense that averaged 34.7 points per game last season.

Penn State has perhaps the most talented linebacker trio in the history of Linebacker U: LaVar Arrington, Brandon Short and Mac Morrison.

Paterno likes the kid Arrington--the first true sophomore to garner Big Ten defensive player of the year--but suggests he might be third best in the group.

Stop it, JoePa, you’re killing us.

With 308 career wins, Paterno won’t break Bear Bryant’s Division I-A record of 323 victories until Y2K, but 1999 should be a bounce-back season for the Nittany Lions, who have finished third, third, third and fifth in the Big Ten since 1994.

The key to any title thoughts is quarterback. Paterno started senior Kevin Thompson against Arizona, but split time with junior Rashard Casey.

Casey won fan support with stellar play in spring ball, and Paterno has promised to take a longer look.

No one can argue with Penn State’s schedule, either. Most years, Paterno loads up on freebies in nonconference, but this year the Nittany Lions have already faced Arizona and play at Miami on Sept. 18.

If Penn State goes unbeaten this year and can’t get a piece of the national title, Paterno should call it quits.

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LOOK WHO’S BACK

1998 Big Ten standings with returning starters:

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Team Conf. Overall Starters W L W L O D Wisconsin 7 1 11 1 7 9 Ohio State 7 1 11 1 7 6 Michigan 7 1 9 3 7 9 Purdue 6 2 9 4 10 8 Penn State 5 3 9 3 9 10 Michigan State 4 4 6 6 9 8 Minnesota 2 6 5 6 11 8 Indiana 2 6 4 7 10 9 Iowa 2 6 3 8 8 9 Illinois 2 6 3 8 8 10 Northwestern 0 8 3 9 6 8

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